Schools warned about unknown dangers of learning devices taking over classrooms

Schools are embracing educational tech before anyone knows the damage it could do to children, experts have warned ministers.

A major new review – exclusively seen by Metro – has concluded that too little is known about whether digital learning tools harm children’s wellbeing, development and rights.

Researchers at the LSE-backed Digital Futures for Children center (DFC) found that more than 2,100 studies on educational tech (EdTech) did not examine real-world classrooms and overlooked questions on safety.

Teachers and campaigners have warned the new Education Secretary Lucy Powell not to ‘gamble with young people’s wellbeing’ and called on her to get a grip on the new technology.

Colette Collins-Walsh from the 5Rights Foundation, which backed the report, said: ‘School canteens can’t serve food unless it is proven to be safe and beneficial to children’s healthy development, yet we’ve been introducing digital products into classrooms without holding them to the same standard.

‘Children deserve better. It’s time tech had its Turkey Twizzler moment.

‘Government now has the chance to build a stronger evidence base, give teachers clearer guidance and use its enormous buying power to reward products that are safe, effective and designed with children’s rights in mind.’

Millions of kids in the UK use EdTech every day and includes tools such as artificial intelligence, chatbots, apps, virtual reality and digital software.

Previous governments have encouraged schools to embrace EdTech and have invested millions on new digital innovations.

In response to this, the DFC – a collaboration between the London School of Economics and 5Rights Foundation – reviewed 56 bodies of research covering more than 2,100 studies into the impacts of EdTech.

The experts were shocked to discover how little research there had been into anything other than test outcomes.

They found that EdTech was shown to improve results in the short term, there is little evidence on whether it damages children’s confidence, motivation, or enjoyment of learning.

Much of the research was also not gathered from real-world schools and only 1% of the studies considered how EdTech was used in the UK.

Researchers also warned that there are gaping holes in the evidence on how digital learning tools can affect groups such as children with special educational needs.

Professor Sonia Livingstone of LSE, one of the world’s leading experts on children’s rights in the digital age, said: ‘Much of the evidence on educational technology has focused on whether it improves academic attainment. 

‘That’s an important question, but it isn’t the only one… We still know far too little about its wider impact on children’s wellbeing, development and rights.’

‘The government must step in’

Campaigners want ministers to tackle concerns around EdTech just as the government addressed fears about children’s social media use.

One of Keir Starmer’s last acts as Prime Minister was to announce a ban on social media for under-16s.

The National Education Union told Metro the government needed to apply the same ‘safety-first’ approach ‘to untested and potentially harmful AI edtech products’.

Their General Secretary Daniel Kebede: ‘Gambling with young people’s education and wellbeing is not acceptable.’

He continued: ‘The findings of this report make it clear that the benefits of edtech, including AI-based tools, are not automatic and come with serious risks.

‘The government must step in to regulate these tools to ensure a safety-first approach, rather than rushing ahead with projects like the DfE’s AI tutoring program before impacts are properly understood.’

The Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Laura Trott, told Metro: ‘labor had its head in the sand over social media and phones in schools.

‘Let’s not repeat the same mistakes. When it comes to children we should follow the evidence.’

The Conservative MP said it was worrying the government ‘seems determined to double down on EdTech in schools’ despite little evidence of whether it improves educational outcomes.

In a letter seen by Metro, the DFC and 5Rights Foundation, tell Lucy Powell to have the ‘same ambition’ for addressing online harms stemming from ‘the technology children use every day in school’.

Professor Livingstone and Ms Collins-Walsh urged the new Education Secretary, who is a close ally of Andy Burnham: ‘As digital products
become as commonplace in classrooms as textbooks, parents, teachers and schools will increasingly expect them to meet equally high standards of evidence, safety and quality.’

The letters also says that schools need more support in choosing EdTech that is safe and effective.

It explained: ‘[Schools] are being asked to make complex procurement
decisions without clear, mandatory standards for efficacy, safety and children’s rights.’

Concerns have already been raised around EdTech and the potential danger it could bring to children.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said it had found significant data privacy and security breaches in 28 EdTech products used in the UK.

School heads have also raised the alarm bell over the rollout of EdTech in classrooms.

Responding to the new report, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) told Metro: ‘It is important that products are safe to use, that children’s privacy is protected, and that there is a clear understanding of any impact on their development and wellbeing.’

The union’s head of policy, Sarah Hannafin, added: ‘We have raised concerns that at times there appears to be inconsistency in the government’s approach, including between expectations at home and school.

‘For example, recent screentime guidance for parents of under 5s recommended a very limited amount of daily screen time. But pupils also have to complete assessments within their first six weeks in reception, which require them to use a touchscreen.’

‘More consistent messaging would be welcome, as well as more comprehensive research – including among different groups of children – which helps government and schools strike the balance that is needed between safety, meeting children’s needs and digital literacy.’

The Education Committee in the House of Commons is also conducting their own inquiry on the use of Artificial Intelligence and EdTech in Education.

The panel’s chair, Helen Hayes MP, told Metro the technology ‘brings risks as well as opportunities’.

She added: ‘Its deployment should be supported by a clear, values-driven framework for decision making…We expect our inquiry to result in a report with recommendations which may well include the need for further regulation and guidance.’

While Keir Starmer was in charge, the government expanded a National EdTech Testbed program to build more evidence on the technology.

The program will evaluate the impact of EdTech and AI in schools and colleges, and find out how it can be used effectively to support teachers, improve inclusion and strengthen educational outcomes.

Damian Hinds, who launched the Conservative Government’s EdTech strategy in 2019, warned: ‘There are worries about the sheer amount of time spent on screen-based activities, which is connected to parents’ wider screen time concerns, and the role of ‘gamification’. 

He acknowledged there are proven programs which help pupils, but added: ‘Great education is all about great teachers. 

‘Technology can and does play a role but it should always be a supporting role.  Balance is needed.’

Metro has contacted the Department for Education for comment.

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